


The Perfect Crème Brûlée

by hanji101



Category: Hamilton - Miranda
Genre: Alternate Universe - Everyone Lives/Nobody Dies, Alternate Universe - Modern Setting, Cooking, M/M
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2020-01-08
Updated: 2020-07-05
Packaged: 2021-02-27 11:01:46
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 34
Words: 14,917
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/22166068
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/hanji101/pseuds/hanji101
Summary: Alexander Hamilton was struggling for money. And so, at the age of 19, he gets a job at Café Révolutionnaire, the city's second most famous french cafe. He becomes fast friends with the workers and denizens of the cafe. When John Laurens sets his eyes on this charming new waiter, he finally knows who will motivate him to make the perfect crème brûlée.
Relationships: Alexander Hamilton/John Laurens, Gilbert du Motier Marquis de Lafayette/Hercules Mulligan
Comments: 34
Kudos: 55





	1. Job Interview

"Monsieur Hamilton?" the Frenchman said, tapping his hand on the desk. "Your resumé, please?" Hamilton went through his bag and pulled out a paper, listing his credentials and work experience. "Oh, yeah. Here it is, uh, sir." Alexander said as he slid it toward the interviewer.

  
"Lafayette, please." said the man, scanning the paper. He looked up at Alexander. "Very well. You have the job."  


"Thank you, er, Lafayette. I am honored to be working at such a beautiful and famous cafe as yours." Hamilton said, starting to stand up.  


"Mon ami, perhaps I should call someone to give you a tour of the cafe? I am honored to have you work here at the café révolutionnaire, but I don't want any waiters getting lost." Lafayette yelled to the other room. "Laurens! We need you over here!" In just a moment, a young man appeared in the doorway. 

"Monsieur Hamilton, this is Monsieur Laurens, our head chef. I'll have him give you a tour of the cafe." The young man looked at Hamilton and smiled. The man's face was covered in freckles, and his hair was pulled into a curly ponytail. He was rather attractive, Hamilton had to admit. And Hamilton was straight. At least, he thought so.  


"I'm John Laurens, nice to meet you! I'm looking forward to working with you!" Hamilton followed Laurens through the cafe, as he showed him the seating, the kitchen, and the staff lounge. "You're a waiter, correct, Alexander?" Hamilton looked up at Laurens.

"Oh, yeah. I'm just a waiter." Hamilton said nervously, wondering if that was somehow a bad thing.

"Okay. You're going to need to wear these-" he handed Alexander a button-down shirt and pants. "This is your uniform. I'll see you tomorrow and the waiter manager, Hercules can give you a briefing! I'm really excited to have you on our staff, Alex! Good night!" John Laurens hurried out of the room, and Alexander followed suit. Alexander was halfway down the street when he noticed his face was red. What the heck?


	2. Training Day

Alexander walked down the street in the cold winter morning, the brisk air chilling him even through his heavy coat. He turned the corner onto the street of the cafe, and went up to the back door. _Dang it. Lafayette forgot to give me some keys._ Alexander knocked on the door. He waited a few moments, and the door was opened by John Laurens. 

"Good morning, Alex!" Laurens said warmly. "Can I call you that? Sorry. Alexander's kinda long. Anyway, follow me." Laurens led him into the back of the cafe, the storage room. It was full of expensive french coffee, Alex could smell it coming from the crates. He took a quick sniff before following Laurens to the staff room. Laurens checked his watch. "Hercules should be here soon. He's probably late again. As always."

Just then, a large man burst through the door. He had on a large coat lined with fur, and a matching hat. He looked at Hamilton. Hamilton inhaled sharply. _Oh god he's gonna kill me._ The large man then turned to Laurens and his smile brightened.

"Ohhhhh! John, this is the new meat, eh?" The man said as he clapped Laurens on the back. Laurens flinched and sighed. 

"Yes, Hercules... This is the new waiter, Alexander Hamilton." Laurens said to him. The man turned back to Alex. 

"Oh. Hey. I'm Hercules Mulligan. I don't really have an official job here, I'm just here for Laf... But Laf wanted me to train recruits at this place so here I am!" He said. "Well, come with me. I'm just gonna go over the menu items with you." Alexander turned to Laurens on his way out. Laurens flashed him a quick smile. Alex, once again, found himself blushing like a schoolgirl. 

Alexander followed Hercules around the whole day, watching him take down orders, serve customers, etc. Alexander was washing dishes when Hercules walked back up to him. 

"Okay, Alex, this is the final part of the briefing. I just want you to go and take a customers order. Easy enough. Give their order to Laurens and deliver it back to them. Just like I did." Hercules said.

"Alright, seems easy enough." Alexander walked up to a man sitting alone at a table and took his order. 

"I'd like a chocolate eclair and a coffee, black." The man said to Alexander. "Hey, you new here? I don't think I've seen you before, and I'm a regular." 

"Uh, yeah. I'm new. Alexander Hamilton. Nice to meet you. I am quite excited to be working here, actually. I really love french cafes and uh-- " he stopped himself. "You are?" Alex said to the man as he quickly jotted down his order.

"Aaron Burr. Now, hurry up and get me the food. Talk less. You're a waiter, not an entertainer." said Burr.

Alexander hurried back to the kitchen and passed the order form to Laurens. 

"A coffee and an eclair." Alexander said as he walked past Laurens. 

"Coming right up!" Laurens exclaimed as he topped off some eclairs with a swirl of frosting. Laurens plated the eclair and handed Alexander the coffee. "Oh, Alex, you got some chocolate on your face. Lemme get that real quick." Laurens reached for a tissue and wiped it off of Alexanders face. 

_Gosh, he is really kinda cute._ Alexander thought as he walked past the rows of tables to give his order to Burr. _John Laurens..._ Alexanders mood lifted and he walked the rest of the way, humming softly.

That is, until he crashed into something. The coffee flew out of his hand, the eclair sailed through the air. And Alexander looked up to see a very angry looking Burr, covered in coffee, with an eclair on his head.


	3. Oops

Burr looked at Hamilton as he gingerly peeled the eclair off his head. _Oops._ Hamilton thought as he scrambled up to get a napkin. 

"I'm sorry sir! I uh... I'll get you a new one! I'm so sorry! Seriouslyareyouokaylike-" Hamilton paused and took a breath. "Sorry, sir. I will return with a new cup of coffee and eclair soon." Hamilton scurried out of the seating area, and to the kitchen. "Laurens! We need to redo the order for Mr. Burr!" Hamilton yelled across the room to the chef. 

"No problem, Alex. Did he not like it or something?" Laurens asked as he poured the steaming-hot coffee into a white mug. "Are you okay?"

"Yes, I'm fine." Alexander said "I just tripped and spilled the coffee and stuff on him." Alexander blushed. "I'm sorry. I hope this doesn't hurt the cafe or anything..." Laurens stared at Alexander. He raised and eyebrow, and slowly his mouth upturned into a smile. Soon, he burst out laughing. His eyes started tearing up and he doubled over.

"Wow, Alex... That's great! That Burr is no fun, honestly. He deserved to get that shirt dirty for once..." Laurens went up to Alexander and patted him on the back. "Alex, do ya wanna go grab some boba after work today? I know a great place down the street, and I really wanna get to know you!" Alexanders face lit up with the idea. He could finally spend some time with his coworkers!

"Yeah! I'd love to!" Alexander said "Let me go tell Herc and Lafayette!" Alexander practically bounced out of the room. He was so excited, he didn't even see Laurens' downcast face as he closed the door.

\----

Alexander returned to Burrs table with a coffee and an eclair. Upon his return, Burr was sitting patiently in the booth, texting someone on his phone. 

"Um, Mr. Burr, here. I'm back with your new coffee and eclair. Uh, enjoy." Hamilton set the coffee down on the table. "Would you like cream or sugar? Sorry, I forgot." Burr rolled his eyes at him.

"Black, please, Hamilton. Thank you." Hamilton pushed the black coffee to Burr, and retrieved the eclair and put it on the table. 

"There you go, sir." Alexander walked away from Burr's table and waited on the next tables. 


	4. Boba "Date"

"Alexander! Let's go!" It was the end of the day and John Laurens, Alexanders cute coworker was running up to him. "Come on! We're going to go get boba with Lafayette and Herc!" Alexander yawned.

"I'm a bit tired, but I did make a commitment. I haven't been to this boba place, so you can lead the way." Alexander said to Laurens.

"Yo, don't leave your favorite couple behind!" Hercules yelled as he appeared behind them, with Lafayette behind. "How could ya do that? I thought we were friends..." Alexander looked surprised at this statement. 

"Aah, sorry, _mon ami._ Herc's humor is quite... interesting. Not funny at all, really. Doesn't mean he isn't a great _le copain._ " Lafayette winked at Hercules as he playfully smacked him. Hercules blushed and Laurens looked at Alexander and giggled. 

They walked down to the boba shop, quite slowly, because Hercules had to stop and rate each man he saw's outfit on a scale of one to ten. They passed a man with large, curly hair and a sharp suit. Hercules nearly jumped with excitement.

"WOW! That's a ten, right there. Look at those shoes. Like seriously. And that jacket. I have never seen anyone who actually made maroon look good..." Hercules gushed while looking at the man. Lafayette seemed insulted.

"But you rated my outfit a nine! I'm your boyfriend... I thought we were _amourex_..." he said, only half joking.

"Naw, it's okay, Laf. His hair is ugly as fuck, he just clearly knows how to dress well." Hercules responded and patted Lafayette on the back.

"Or hires somebody to dress him." Laurens giggled, eyeing the expensive leather shoes the man was wearing.

"Wait..." Lafayette said, squinting at the man "That's Thomas. Thomas Jefferson. The owner of Jefferson Coffee house. The man who has like six girlfriends who he probably abuses and stuff." Lafayette turned to see Alexander's face. Alexander raised an eyebrow. "Ah, apologies, Alexander. He is the owner of our rival cafe." Lafayette said

"Oh, I see. Well, let's keep going." Alexander replied to Lafayette.

They continued walking down the street to the boba shop.

"So, Alexander, have you had boba before?" Laurens asked

"No, I haven't. What's it like?" Alexander responded, looking at Laurens.

"Oh, it's like tea or juice or something but you put these tapioca balls in it, it's super good." Laurens gushed. "My favorite is the kumquat lemon juice with angel white boba. But for beginning boba drinkers, I'd suggest a royal tea of some sort." Laurens looked back at Alexander. "Are you a tea drinker?"

"No, not really." Alexander responded "I usually drink coffee. But this sounds quite interesting, so I'm happy to try some." 

They walked into the boba shop. It was a small building with white walls, accented with mint green. It was very fresh and clean looking, but pleasing. Alexander studied the menu. What was it Laurens recommended? The royal tea? 

"Hey, Laurens, what was the thing you recommended again?" Alexander said to him.

"Oh, that'd be the royal tea. Any flavor, but I'd suggest you get normal boba." Laurens pointed out the different toppings, flavors, and components. 

"I'd like a mango royal tea with normal boba, please." Alexander said to the barista, a woman with tanned skin and curly brown hair. Her nametag read _Peggy Schuyler._ \

"Alright! That'll be 4.99, please!" Peggy said to him. She turned to Laurens. "Oh, hey! Is this the new waiter Lafayette told me about?"

"Yes, Peggy." Laurens turned to Alexander. "This is Alexander Hamilton." 

"Well, great to meet you!" Peggy said as she slid Alexander his drink. Alexander picked it up and examined it.

"So these little black balls are tapioca?" Alexander asked.

"yeah. They taste great, don't worry." Laurens said. "Well, I know a great park near here. You guys wanna go eat there?"


	5. AND PEGGY

Alexander, Laurens, Hercules and Lafayette exited the boba shop and walked in the direction of the park. 

"So, who was that guy in the fancy suit who you seem to have beef with?" Alexander asked Lafayette. Lafayette turned to him.

"Oh, that's Thomas Jefferson. He owns the cafe that is rival to ours. _His_ cafe is first in Washington Times, whereas we're stuck in second because his prices are lower. And the dude doesn't even cook any of the food! Before Laurens came along, I did the cooking. But the dude and his co-owner just make everyone else do it." Lafayette ranted

"Well, why don't you guys just make your prices lower?" Alexander asked

"We tried. But his prices are just so goddamn low they're impossible to beat." Laurens said "And they're so low because he uses questionably sourced chocolate in his pastries." Laurens looked back to Hamilton "In other words, children in South America harvest the cocoa beans for NO PAY. Slave labor." he shook his head and sighed deeply. "I really can't believe that man. He used to bribe one of his workers with extra pay so she would have an affair with him. And when she finally spoke up, he fired her." Alexander looked at Laurens in disbelief. 

"Wow, what a dick." he said "You guys would never do that." 

Lafayette laughed. 

"Well, _mon ami,_ Herc and I are in a relationship and Laurens over there is gay, so no." Lafayette said to Alexander. Laurens blushed as Alexander looked over to him.

"Cool. I mean like, I'm not really sure, honestly." Alexander spoke and took a deep breath "Honestly, I think I might be bi. I'm not sure though..." Alex looked up at Laurens. Laurens blushed and turned his head away. Then he spoke.

"Oh, yeah Alexander. Speaking of like, sexuality, and stuff, I was wondering if like we could maybe-" Laurens was cut off by the sound of coughing.

Alexander started wheezing, like no air was coming through his lungs. He dropped his drink on the ground and fell down, keeling over. 

"ALEXANDER!!" Laurens yelled as he bent down to try and help him. Laurens smacked him on the back really hard, but it wasn't working. Alexander's face went blue. "Somebody help him!" Laurens shouted to the people across the street. People crowded around and watched as Laurens again attempted to help Alexander. He reached his arms around to Alexander's stomach and pushed. Suddenly, a ball of boba went sailing out of Alexander's mouth and onto the sidewalk. Alexande coughed. "Are you alright?" Laurens asked

"Yeah. I'm fine." Alexander said "thanks to you, I'm okay, Laurens." Alexander stood up and looked Laurens in the eyes. "So, what was it you wanted to ask me?" He said.

Laurens turned beet red. 

"Nothing. Sorry. I'll, uh, tell you later." Laurens said, sputtering and looking at the ground. Lafayette and Hercules giggled and patted Laurens on the back. Alexander thought he heard Lafayette mutter something, like "chicken", but he couldn't be sure.


	6. Moving?

Alexander flopped down on the couch. 

"Well, that was an... exciting day" He said to himself. "What do I do now?" He turned over and grabbed the remote and flicked through channels on his small & low resolution TV. _Hmm, maybe I shouldn't be wasting my power..._ he thought. Alexander dismissed the thought. _I just got a new job, I'll be fine,_ he thought. After watching TV for a while, he decided to turn off the TV and go to bed. 

Alexander got up off the couch and carefully removed the cushions from the couch. He walked across the small apartment to the closet, and took the mattress and pillows down from the top of the closet. He folded the couch out into a bed, and went to sleep.

\------

Alexander felt like he barely got any sleep when he was jerked awake by a knocking on his door.

"Open up!" a harsh voice yelled from outside. Alexander sluggishly pulled himself out of bed and grabbed the cup of coffee he had prepared the night before. _Crap._ Alexander thought. _Is is TODAY?_ He glanced at the calendar on his wall, and it was, sure enough, the nineteenth of May. Written on the small two-by-one inch square were the words Alexander had been dreading. _September_ _Nineteenth: Property Seizing._

Alexander was poor. Like, dirt poor. In fact, so poor that he can't afford to leave the lights on at night. Except he did. And now, after 30 days of not paying his rent and bills, he was homeless. Alexander opened the door to let the man in.

"Alexander Hamilton. I'm sorry, but you have failed to pay your bills for an entire month now. As of today, your property has been seized. You will no longer be able to rent here. You have exactly 12 hours to clear out all of your possessions." The man said. Alex was dumbstruck. Where would he live now? 

\-----

John Laurens woke up late to an urgent spam of messages from Alexander. He groaned and rolled over in his king-sized bed. The noon light shone in from the windows of his penthouse, waking him up. He reached for his phone to check his messages.

_\------Group chat------_

_Hammyham: guys i cant pay mah bills i got kicked out lol_

_Herc: oh shoot bruh that sucks_

_Large Baguette: oof im sorry dude_

_Hammyham: anyone know a place i can stay?_

_Large Baguette: i mean i'll let you sleep in the cafe but like thats not very confortable_

Laurens inhaled sharply. _Alexander got evicted? What should I do?_ He was just in the middle of searching for places to get loans when it struck him. If he really did like Alex, wasn't this a perfect chance to get closer to him? And then, without thinking, Laurens messaged Alexander.

_Laurens: you can stay at my place._

_\-----_

Alexander's face lit up in surprise as he saw the message he received from Laurens. He could stay at his place? That was so nice of him! And Laurens lived closer to work, so they could easily go there! He shot a text back to Laurens.

_\-----group chat (alexanders pov)----_

_Laurens: you can stay at my place._

_manager guy (laf) : oh, good idea, mon ami._

_scary big guy (herc): ( ͡° ͜ʖ ͡°) yess stay at his place alex_

_manager guy (laf): give him space_

_Alexander: sure, thanks a lot Laurens. what's your address?_

Alexander sighed. That was 20 minutes away on foot. 

_Alexander: pick me up?_

_Laurens: oh sure lol._

_\-----_

John Laurens got out of bed, closed the blinds, and got dressed. _Dress to impress..._ he thought. _What would Herc wear?_

After five minutes of sorting through his closet, he settled on a white button-down shirt with a V-necked ribbed cashmere sweater over it. He put on a pair of jeans, stepped into his elevator. He rode down 20 floors, to the parking lot. Laurens waved to his neighbor as he walked up to his silver Tesla. 

\-----

Alexander Hamilton waved from the sidewalk as he saw a silver Tesla coming toward him, Laurens in the front. 

"Laurens! Is this your car?" He asked as he got into the seat next to him.

"yeppers. I get a lot of allowance from my parents, and my aunt liked me better than my dad, so I got her inheritance, and being a head chef is an okay job." Laurens turned to Alexander and blushed. "Do you like it?" He asked. Alexander looked surprised.

"Yes! I love it! I mean, of course. Why wouldn't I? It's so fancy!" Alexander smiled at Laurens "Thank you, again, for letting me stay at your place for a while. I know it's kinda weird, I mean we just met a few days ago, usually sharing the same house means some sort of-" Laurens laughed. 

"It's fine! Seriously." He grabbed Alexanders hand and held onto it.\

\------

"Hey, Laurens, shouldn't you keep both hands on the wheel"

*blushing* "Sorry."

\------


	7. Chill, Laurens.

"We're here!" Laurens exclaimed, leading Alexander into his apartment. Stepping into the apartment, Alexander was greeted with a fluffy white welcome mat. "Take off your shoes, please." Laurens said as he slipped off his sneakers and put them on the shoe rack. Alexander obliged, sliding off his scuffed vans. Alexander felt the rug under his feet. It was the softest he had ever felt. Laurens looked over to him. "You like the rug?" he asked. Alexander blushed, Laurens has noticed he had been petting it with his feet. 

"Yeah! It' so soft, where'd you get it?" Alexander asked, feeling the rug on his feet. 

"Oh, I ordered it online. Most of my stuff is from this company, recycled plastic to make the fibers! I never knew plastic could be so fluffy!" Laurens paused. "Sorry. Not trying to make a commercial, haha. Put your stuff down here, let me show you around." 

Laurens lead Alexander throughout the apartment. They passed through the kitchen, with its beautiful marble counters and shiny kitchen appliances. A fresh cake sat on the counter, beautifully decorated with the words "Welcome Alexander!" written in blue frosting. Alexander blushed at the thoughtful cake. Laurens grabbed Alexander's hand and led him to the living room, showing him the large TV and 6 video game consoles. The room was a calming lavender color, with a cushy couch and a geometric glowing modern lamp. In the corner of the room, there were what appeared to be picture frames, but covered by some pieces of paper.

"What's that?" Alexander asked, pointing to the covered pictures. Laurens looked down.

"Oh. Those are pictures of my father. He insisted I keep some up... I uncover them when he visits... But I feel like they're watching me." Laurens shivered. "Judging me and my decisions, you know?" he looked back to Alexander. "I know it's stupid. But, ever since coming out to him, we've..." he paused "been estranged." Laurens sighed and turned away. "Okay, Alexander. The bathroom is over there, and I have a spare room for you." Laurens pointed to a door, and then led Alexander into one opposite it.

Alexander was blown away by the sheer size of the room. It was quite large, furnished with a king-sized bed, another fluffy rug, and a personal TV.

"It's not as big or fancy as mine, I'm sorry Alex." Laurens turned to the walk-in closet and looked back at Alexander. "Wait! We need to get you some new clothes. Lemme call Herc over, we can take you shopping!" Laurens eyes shined with excitement as he bounced up and down. 

\------

It was about twenty minutes later when Hercules and Lafayette arrived in Lafayette's car. Hercules punched the horn 20 times before Laurens and Alexander rushed out, faces red. 

"Sorry!" Laurens said "The old lady in the apartment under mine wanted to say hi, and then I noticed the muffins were burning! I'm so sorry!" Laurens breathed deeply. "Sorry guys." 

"Ah, so that's your story, _mon ami?_ Lafayette said, raising an eyebrow at Hamilton. Yeah, okay..." Hamilton turned a shade redder and Laurens pretended his phone was extremely interesting.

"I was there and can confirm that was what happened." Hamilton said, trying to cool his face down. "Seriously. I swear." Lafayette narrowed his eyes at him.

"Ah, okay." He said and proceeded to start up the car to drive to the mall. 

\-----

The four of them walked into mall. Hercules was tittering with excitement, he had been asking Hamilton some "Style Diagnosis Questions" all car ride. The four of them walked through the mall, looking for stores. Hercules pointed to a luxurious black coat.

"Yo! Alexander! Get this. I bet it'll look great on you." Hercules said to him. Hamilton did like it, so he carefully removed it from the rack but flinched at the price.

"Um, this is a hundred dollars." He said, twitching a bit from sheer surprise. Laurens bounced over.

"Oh, are you getting that, Alex? That'll look sooooo cute on you. I mean, you look cute in anything, but, like-" Laurens blushed and paused. "Uhh. Sorry. Do you like it though?" Alexander hesitated.

"Yeah. It's expensive, though..." He fingered the price tag. Laurens looked over at it. 

"Yikes, that is on the pricey side. But it'll look good on you, I'ma get it for you." Laurens said and patted him on the back. Before Hamilton could protest, Laurens was checking out the coat, along with about 20 T-shirts and a pair of shoes. Alexander sighed. That was sure a lot of money to be spending on him.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Comments and Kudos appreciated! Very big drama coming up!


	8. Perfect

"Alexaaanderrr! Come on! We're going to work!" Laurens yelled from the kitchen as Alexander was in the bathroom brushing his teeth. "I made eggs! Hurry up and eat, then we can walk to work." Alexander spit his toothpaste into the sink, splashed water on his face, and followed the scent of buttery eggs to the kitchen. Laurens was in the kitchen, holding a heart-shaped spatula. "Oh! Alex! Here are some eggs." Laurens scooped up the eggs and flipped them onto the plate with a flourish. "Any sauces? Ketchup?" Laurens asked as he slid the plate towards Hamilton. 

"Uhh, just some ketchup. Thanks." Alexander said and smiled. Laurens whipped out the ketchup and, with a swish of his hand, made a little swirl on the omelet. He smiled and handed Alexander the plate. 

"Eat up and let's get going." Laurens said. Alexander sighed and ate his food. 

\-----

Alexander walked into the back kitchen after work to see Laurens in his chef's outfit intently working on something. Laurens dipped his finger in the sugary mixture and frowned. He muttered something under his breath. Alexander stared, seeing watching Laurens work. With every movement, his curls bounced. Laurens turned around to see Alexander. 

"Oh, hi Alex. Sorry for taking so long, I'm working on something." he said. "Here, I need your opinion. Come here, Alex." Alexander walked over to Laurens and saw what he was working on. A desert. "This-" Laurens said "Is a Crème brûlée. It's a french dessert. Look." Laurens pointed to a newspaper article on the table. It read: "Jefferson's Coffee House is awarded best desert for their Crème brûlée, 2020." Laurens looked sadly at the article. "That was supposed to be our spot. We were best desert every year. I even got a raise from it. I'm worried Lafayette'll be mad..." Laurens looked down at Alexander. "here, can you try it?" he grabbed a spoon from a cupboard, and scooped up a bit of the desert. He handed it to Alexander and Alexander slipped it into his mouth. 

It tasted like pure heaven. It was creamy and sweet, with a delicate crust. Alexander broke through the crystalline sugary crust to find a smooth, creamy underneath. As each bite entered his mouth, it was like a symphony of the finest musicians had started playing for him. Like the world's best poetry serenaded to him by a choir of the most legendary singers. 

"It's very good, Laurens." Alexander said as he went up to him. "I love it. Why don't you?" He asked. Laurens sighed.

"It's tasted like this since I started making it. It isn't... special." he looked down at his feet. "Jefferson's is apparently better. And we can't have that. The day that snake is crowned best restaurant is the day I say my last words." Laurens sat down bitterly. 

"Hey, Laurens, it's okay. I'm sure you can make the best one ever! And when you do, I'll be right there with you." Alexander said and put a hand around his body. Alexander patted Laurens's back slowly. Laurens' tears fell slowly onto Alex's hands, and before Alexander Hamilton knew it, they were crying together. But at least they were together.

"You'll beat Jefferson." Alexander said. "I swear it."

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> kudos and comments are appreciated!


	9. Angry Too

Oh, my fucking god. Alexander Hamilton wanted to kill someone. He wanted to punch him. He wanted to stab him. He wanted Thomas Jefferson, owner of Jefferson Coffee House, to be in pain. For making Laurens cry. For disgracing Lafayette's restaurant. For... uh... well, he hasn't affected Hercules much other than hurt his boyfriend's business. As soon as Laurens and Alexander got back to the apartment, Alexander ran into his room. He went into the large room, threw himself onto the cushy mattress and curled into a ball. 

_This is all the fault of that Jefferson guy. He made Laurens sad. He made Laurens cry. HE MADE LAURENS CRY!_ Alexander rolled over and grabbed his phone. His eyes filled with hatred and rage as he went to the Jefferson Coffee House's page. He knew what he was doing was immature. He knew he could settle this like an adult. But he didn't. Instead he spent all night disliking, hate commenting, and leaving bad reviews on every one of that man's accounts.

\----

Alexander had noticed Laurens had seemed very preoccupied lately. He had been staying in the restaurant late (he lent Alex some keys), and not returning until long after dark. When he did return, Hamilton was often waiting for him. Laurens would step into the apartment and take off his shoes. He'd undue his ponytail and let his curls loose. Smiling at Alexander, he'd put down his bags and wave. Sometimes he'd speak. Other times, he'd seem too tired. Every time Laurens looked at him with that weary look in his eyes, he'd feel his heart sink. And it was then, on the fifth day, that Alexander realized. He loved him. 

\----

Alexanders heart broke whenever he saw Laurens' sad eyes, focusing intently on the pot he was holding, adding sugar, cream, and other things. Laurens would taste the mixture, and his eyes would look downcast. This was someone Alexander loved. Someone Alexander wanted to protect. Someone Alexander needed to protect. Somebody he would embarrass himself and ruin his reputation for.

\----

And so, Alexander walked into Jefferson's Cafe on Saturday with a determined look on his face. He was met at the door by a man in a simple black suit and tie, with a very stiff expression on his face. He has close-cropped hair and his name tag read _James Madison_. He looked at Alexander and opened his mouth.

"Good morning. How many in your party?" he said. Alexander glared at the man and pushed past him. He stormed across the room, surprising customers. Men and women stared at him as he stomped through the dining area, shoved open a door reading 'Kitchen', and screamed at the top of his lungs.

"WHERE IS THOMAS JEFFERSON?!" he yelled, drawing looks from the entirety of the chefs and waiters. His request was met with silence. Finally, a man in a plum pinstripe suit walked out of a door to the side. He smirked at Alexander, raised an arched eyebrow, and opened his mouth and spoke in a smooth Virginian accent. 

"Hm. Who thought the troll would be even this ugly in person." 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> kudos and comments please they keep me motivated lol  
> lol the chapter title was named after a song -0-


	10. My Fault

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> sorry if it's bad lol, I'm bad at writing antagonist characters especially when they're creeps like him lol

Jefferson's office was spacey and large. The walls were decorated with pictures and newspaper clippings, most of which some sort of awards or articles praising the cafe. A large mahogany desk sat in the middle of the room, with a large swivel chair behind it. In front of the desk sat two luxurious plum velvet armchairs. Jefferson strutted across the room and sat down in the leather swivel chair. He turned in it once, and slowly swiveled around back to Alexander. 

"Sit down." He said, waving a hand dismissively. Alexander grudgingly sat down in one of the cushy armchairs. He glared at Jefferson. "So, what's all this beef about?" Jefferson said, raising an eyebrow at him. Alexander could almost feel the hatred rising inside of him. "I don't even know you." Jefferson continued. "And yet, you spam dislike all my posts, leave bad reviews when you've never been here, and completely ruined that social media account. I'm guessing you have another one." he said. Alexander took a breath and tried to keep himself from screaming.

"You're a fucking jerk." Alexander said, glaring at the man. Jefferson looked slightly amused.

"And why are you mad at me? I did literally nothing to you. What, did you have a _bad childhood experience_ with people named Thomas?" he laughed. "Or what, did my grandma's sister's roommate murder your mother or something?" Jefferson snarled with mockery and slapped his palm against the desk. "Why are you here?"

Alexander stood up, staring coldly at Jefferson.

"You want to fucking know?" Alexander took a deep breath. "You hurt me. You hurt someone really, really important to me. And I can't let that slide." 

He narrowed his eyes at Jefferson. Jefferson smirked. 

"So it's another personal problem, eh? And how, exactly, did I hurt this-" he looked down at his nails "- _f_ _riend_ " he almost laughed as he said the word. "Of yours? I am a simple businessman. I've never hurt a soul in my life." Jefferson smiled a sinister smile. "How, exactly, could I hurt someone and not know?" 

Alexander was infuriated. So infuriated, he wanted to scream. And so he did.

"YOU FUCKING DICK! MY BEST FRIEND WAS LITERALLY CRYING BECAUSE YOUR STUPID CRÈME BRÛLÉE IS SUPPOSEDLY THE BEST FUCKING THING ON EARTH. SURE YOUR DUMB FOOD MIGHT BE GOOD BUT YOUR HOT CHOCOLATE LITERALLY HAS CHILDRENS TEARS IN IT AND-" Alexander stopped himself. Jefferson laughed.

"Look. It wasn't my intention to hurt your friend. But now that I'm pretty sure I know who he is, let me tell you something." Jefferson said. "It isn't my fault. At all. John Laurens gets paid a bonus for however long his dish is the best. All I did was take my rightful place, and rob him of a little cash." he straightened out some papers on his desk. "Now, I don't know your friend personally, but I do know he doesn't make much money without the bonus from Lafayette. And I know that is someone-" Jefferson eyed Hamilton "Were to require him to spend a bit more money, he'd be in quite a situation." He looked Alexander straight in the eye. "This is, in part, your fault, Alexander Hamilton. I don't know what your relationship with this man is-" he laughed "Though I'm sure I can speculate-" Alexander blushed "but if you were to bring enough money in for him, he wouldn't be _nearly_ as stressed as he is." 

Alexander's eyes started tearing up. He looked down at his feet. It was then Jefferson slid a job application towards him reading "Jefferson Cafe Advertising Job". 

"Consider it." Jefferson said.

Hamilton ran from the room, crying.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> kudos and comments appreciated


	11. For You

Alexander Hamilton didn't know where to go. He wanted to run away from all of this. He wanted to hide from all his problems. But, that wouldn't help the person he loved. And so Alexander walked back to Jefferson's Cafe.

"Hm. So you're back." Jefferson said. Alexander was in the office again, yet again in the plum armchairs, but slightly less pissed. Just sad. Very sad. "Look, I don't know how much this... John means to you, but if you want to help him out..." Jefferson motioned to the form. "I'm looking for a good advertiser, and I've heard from a former classmate of yours you're quite the writer. And we do pay a lot. We pay enough for you to cover your own groceries and part of the bills, at least." Jefferson raised an eyebrow at Alexander. "You in? We'd love to have you on the staff."

Alexander glanced around the room. He was sweating. _I want to make Laurens happy._ He thought. _But wouldn't I be happy working with him?_ _By doing this I'm joining the enemy._ Alexander closed his eyes. _But I mean, who cares if I'm happy. Laurens needs to be happy. I don't need to._ Then it hit Alexander.

"Wait, how much, exactly, does this pay?" Alexander asked. Jefferson told him the number. It was a large number. Enough to even pay rent for his apartment. AND cover his bills. He had been able to pay rent with his previous salary, but it was a stretch and he couldn't cover bills or much groceries.

_I have to help Laurens. He'll be happier if he doesn't have to pay for me. If he doesn't have to deal with me. This is my fault._ Alexander inhaled.\

"I'll think about it." Alexander said and rose up from his chair. Jefferson smirked as Hamilton exited.

\-----

Alexander was in the process of emailing his previous landlord on details about re-renting the apartment when he heard a yell from the kitchen.

"ALEXANDER! WHAT IS THIS?!" Laurens said. Alexander rushed into the room to find Laurens holding up the job application paper. Laurens inhaled. "Alexander." He looked into his eyes. "I respect your choices, but would you please tell me what this is about? We absolutely love having you working at the cafe, and it would make me very sad to not be able to work with you anymore." Laurens said. "Especially considering this." he pulled a paper out of his pocket. It was a letter from Alexander's landlord. The letter responding to his request for a re-renting.

"Laurens..." Alexander started. Laurens quickly cut him off.

"Look. Alexander. I want you to know something." Laurens stared into his eyes. "You're the closest friend I've got. You are very important to me. And it would make me extremely sad for you to not work with me anymore, let alone not even see me anymore." Laurens wiped his eyes. It looked like he was trying to dry some tears. "Please. Just tell me what went through your head..."

Alexander sat down on the couch and Laurens sat down next to him.

"Laurens... I just wanted to help you." Alexander cried. "I wanted to hurt Jefferson... because he made you cry. He made you so stressed all those nights. And then Jefferson told me it was because you were stressed because you needed more money! That you spend too much on me...." Alexander burst into tears. Laurens clasped his hand. 

"Alexander... it's okay." Laurens looked to the side. "That wasn't the reason I was working so hard." Laurens said. "It was for you. I... Alexander, you are important to me. And the look on your face when you tried that crème brûlée... I wanted to protect that. I wanted to perfect that recipe. Not for any newspaper. Not to beat Jefferson. Not even to please Lafayette." Laurens stared into Alexander's eyes. Alexander grabbed Lauren's hand, raised it to his mouth, and kissed it. Laurens blushed.

"Laurens... I like you a lot." Alexander said. Laurens kissed Alexander back, on the lips this time. They embraced tightly and warmly. Alexander felt like he was submerged in a lake full of happiness. Like he has found the true paradise. If heaven didn't have Laurens in it, he didn't want to go. He didn't ever want to end this. Tears ran down Alexander's face as they broke away. 

"Alexander. I Love you." Laurens said.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> uwu comments and kudos appreciated! it's not over yet btw, they'll be plenty more relationship developments and stuff. also some not-as-romantic subplots such as defeating jefferson and maybe a cooking contest?


	12. Again, I Love You.

"So, Laurens..." Alexander said, turning to him. "Are we... official?" he asked. Laurens smiled at Alexander.

"Well, I mean... I do like you a lot. Whether or not we're publicly... together... is up to you. I don't mind." Laurens patted Alexander on the shoulder. 

"Well, I like you too. I guess I don't see why we _can't_ be official." Alexander grinned back at Laurens. 

"Yay! And don't worry, Alex. If you ever need help, financially or mentally, I'm here for you. Just talk to me." Laurens smooched Alexander on the cheek. "I'm going to go to bed now." Laurens said. "Good night!"

\---

"So, _mes amis,_ you guys are dating now?" Lafayette said as he raised an eyebrow playfully at Alexander and Laurens. Alexander blushed and held Laurens's hand.

"Yes. We became official last night." Alexander looked at Laurens. Laurens looked at Lafayette.

"Hey, my birthday is soon. Remember?" Laurens asked, elbowing Hercules. Hercules looked surprised.

"Wait, already? Wow, okay. I better think of a present, haha." Hercules scratched his head. Lafayette eyed Hercules.

"Ah, that's because I'm such a distracting _copain._ I don't blame you for not remembering anything when you're dating _moi._ " Lafayette laughed and kissed Hercules. Herc looked surprised.

"Wait, since when do we do PDA?" Hercules said, laughing.

"Since they do." Lafayette said and pointed to Alexander and Laurens, holding hands. Lafayette finished that sentence by pecking Hercules on the cheek. 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> the calm before the storm... well actually there'll be maybe 2 more chapters of calm before the drama stars lol- sorry it's short!


	13. Raise Your Glass

Early-afternoon light shone in on the staff lounge on the day of Laurens's birthday. Lafayette and Hercules stood back while watching the Schuyler sisters prepare the decorations. Lafayette carefully put a cake down on the table.

"Alright, we're almost ready." Angelica said. Angelica Schuyler was the first of the Schuyler sisters, friends of Laurens. Angelica yelled to Eliza, the second sister. "Hey! Eliza! Can you hand me the streamers please?" Eliza, the middle sister, threw a roll of green streamers towards the older sister. Angelica threw it up over the lights and Peggy, the youngest sister caught it. 

Peggy paused as she reached into her pocket to answer her phone. "Hello?" she asked. Her face lit up. "Okay, okay. We're almost done." she said. Peggy hung up the phone and turned to the others. "Okay! Guys, in your places! They'll be here soon! Alexander's leading him here right now." 

Angelica giggled and stepped into the closet. Peggy got behind the door. Lafayette and Hercules dived under the table. And Eliza skittered behind the curtains just in time. They waited for about thirty seconds before the door opened.

In walked Laurens, Alexander behind him. And then, quickly they emerged from their hiding places and yelled.

"Surprise!" yelled Alexander, hugging Laurens from behind. "Happy birthday from your friends! And boyfriend." He said. Laurens smooched Alexander on the cheek.

"You guys are so sweet." said Laurens. Lafayette walked up to Laurens.

"Happy birthday, _mon ami._ I baked the cake, and the sisters did the decorating." Lafayette smiled. "Let's go eat." They led Laurens to the table and sat down. Hercules rolled up his sleeves and took out the cake knife. 

"ALRIGHT! LETS GET THIS PARTY STARTED!" Hercules yelled. He brought the cake knife down fast, drawing gasps. He smirked and slowed down just before hitting the cake, cutting it neatly into slices. He served out the chocolate fudge cake, sliding the plates across the table first to Laurens, and then the guests. He took a bottle of sparkling cider off the shelf and then poured it into cups. He distributed them to the guests. "Laurens! Do you have anything to say?" Hercules asked. 

Laurens took deep breath.

"Raise your glass!" He said, loud and clear while raising up his cup. The others followed suit. "To all of us!" He yelled.

"To all of us!" they echoed.

"To John Laurens!" Yelled Hamilton.

"To John Laurens!" Everyone cheered.

"To Alexander Hamilton!" said Laurens. Alexander beamed.

"To Alexander Hamilton!" 


	14. Thankful

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> just so you guys know, in the fanfic it is currently early November. (well by the end of the chapter it's mid November due to the timeskip)

_Beep. Beeeep._ The printer beeped a few times, made a whirring noise, and spat out a paper. Alexander glanced nervously behind him to make sure Laurens wasn't around before removing the paper and skittering out of Laurens's office to his own room. Once there, Alexander sat down on the bed, reached over to his desk, and grabbed a ballpoint pen out of the pencil case. He sat down at his desk and stared at the paper. _Worldwide Cafe Contest._ Alexander paused before filling out the fields below. _Cafe name. Head chef name. Cafe Address._ He filled in the answers on the lines, got up off the bed, and checked to see if Laurens was home from the grocery store yet. Alexander crept across the apartment and out the door. He rode the elevator down to the lobby, exited the building, and began walking towards the post office.

"Hey Alexander!" he heard a woman's voice say. He turned around to see Peggy, Angelica, and Eliza sitting outside the boba shop. They walked over to him. "Whatcha' doing?" Peggy asked, holding munching on the crêpe in her hand. Alexander shrugged.

"Eh. Just heading down to the post office. Laurens is out right now, so I figured I'd drop off the mail." Peggy nodded in understanding. 

"Alright. Well, we won't waste your time. See ya, Alex!" Peggy waved as she and her sisters headed back into the boba shop.

Alexander walked down the street at a leisurely pace, humming to himself. He strolled across the crosswalk and found the post office. A little bell jingled as he opened the door, reminding him that winter was starting next month. The warm air inside the office felt good, after walking around in the brisk November air. He stamped the letter quickly, and slid it through the slot to be mailed. In about two weeks, Laurens would have a surprise in his mailbox.

\---

Laurens almost screamed in excitement. 

"Ohmigod- Alexander- comehereohmigod- whattheactualfuck-" Laurens was talking a mile a minute. He bounced up and down excitedly as Alexander walked into the kitchen. "Alexander! What is this?" Laurens excitedly waved around an envelope with a beautiful wax seal on it, reading _for mister John Laurens._

"Oh. Well, Laurens, it's just a little surprise." Alexander smiled. "I went and applied Café Révolutionnaire, and thus you, as head chef, to the World Cafe Contest. And..." Alexander walked over to Laurens "Did we get in?" He asked.

Laurens ripped open the envelope excitedly. He read the contents aloud.

"Dear Mr John Laurens, it is with great happiness to inform you that you have been selected as one of the two cafes from New York City to be entered into the preliminaries for the World Cafe Contest. If you make it through the preliminary, you will be selected to represent the entirety of the country in the cafe contest." Alexander read clearly. Laurens was shaking with excitement. 

"I bet I can guess who the other cafe is." Laurens said and rolled his eyes. "But wow, seriously." Laurens said. His face sunk slowly. "But... the preliminaries start in December, I'd be missing Christmas. And the actual competition, assuming I make it, is taking place in Tokyo during the summer..." Laurens looked to Alexander. "I want to go, but I don't want to miss my first Christmas with you, Alexander." Alexander put a hand on Laurens's shoulder.

"It's okay. You should pursue this. It'll be a great leap for the cafe, and I'd be so proud of you! Don't worry, we can video call on Christmas." Alexander reassured him. "Where are the preliminaries?" Alexander asked. Laurens looked down at the letter.

"San Francisco." he said. "If you want, you can come with me. I can afford a plane ticket for you as well. And a hotel." Alexander's face lit up with Laurens's statement. 

"I'd love to! We just gotta make sure to check in with Lafayette first, obviously." Alexander hugged Laurens. This was the best day of their lives.

\------

On the other side of the city, a finely-dressed man in a suit smiled as he received his letter.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> kudos and comments appreciated! the preliminary arc is starting in chapter 16. The next chapter will be a thanksgiving thing-


	15. Airport

Alexander woke up early to the sound of sizzling bacon. He swatted the grogginess out of his system and walked over to the calendar. December 12th. The day he and his boyfriend, John Laurens, would be leaving to San Francisco for about half a month. Alexander pulled on a white t-shirt, sweatpants, and a thick alpaca fur sweater that Hercules had bought him. He walked into the kitchen, slightly tired, for it was four in the morning. Laurens stood by the stove, wearing a t-shirt, sweats, and an apron. He pressed bacon down with his spatula impatiently and looked to the digital clock above the oven. 

"Oh, hey Alex." Laurens said as he heard him come in. "I'm making breakfast right now. Bacon's almost ready. Sit down." Laurens continued to cook the bacon, and when it was done, he put it on a plate and gave it to Alexander. "There you go. Eat quickly, we have to be at the airport soon. Laf's giving us a ride." 

Alexander shoveled the salty and crispy bacon into his mouth as fast as he could, enjoying every bite, albeit quickly. He stood up quickly and walked to the door. 

"Alright Laurens! I'm ready!" he yelled. Laurens emerged from his room, wearing a brown winter coat. He went to the shoe rack and took out a pair of wool-lined boots, sliding them onto his feet with ease. He heard a ping from his pocket and checked his phone. 

"Lafayette's here." said Laurens. "We should get going."

\---

Lafayette waited in the parking lot in his car, nodding his head to the rhythm of the music playing from his speakers. He smiled as he saw Alexander and John run up to him, bundled up in winter clothes. Laurens's fluffy scarf (with rabbit motifs) bounced as they ran up to Lafayette's car and jumped into the back seat together. Lafayette laughed. It seemed this happy spirit was very contagious. 

They rode together for the short drive to the airport, where Hamilton and Laurens got out of the car (holding hands of course), waved Lafayette good bye, and promised to call. 

"Okay, we've got about two hours. We have to get through security. You didn't bring anything that's gonna hold us up, right?" Asked Laurens. Alexander shook his head.

"Not that I'm aware of." he replied.

They walked through the security gates, got their items scanned, and eventually reached the gate for their flight. Now all they had to do was wait about and hour. 

Laurens yawned and walked over to the charging station, where he plugged in his cell phone, put in his airpods, and watched some youtube. Alexander sat awkwardly in the normal seating rows. He decided to reach into his backpack and take out the book he decided to bring on this trip. Not his usual type of literature, but fitting for where they were going. The title read _San Francisco's Best 300 Restaurants._ Alexander leafed through the pages and tried to guess which of the many fine cafes in the city Laurens would be up against. He recalled the rules for the preliminaries: _the American preliminaries will consist of one hundred cafes. There will be two competing cafes from each state. Numbers will be thinned down, and expect at least half of the entries to be sent home within the first few days. The preliminaries will be judged simply on cooking, but the world competition will require the full staff of the cafe to come to Tokyo for the competition. Best of luck to all contestants._ Alexander knew for a fact the two from New York were both from NYC: Lafayette's and Jefferson's. He could only make guesses about the rest of the states. Alexander was thinking about the possible contestants when the woman at the front shouted. 

"First-class boarding begins now!" She said, and Laurens unplugged his phone and hefted Alexander up by his arm. 

"That's us." Laurens said, winking at the surprised Alexander.


	16. Love in the Skies

Alexander stepped into the first-class suite in awe. Laurens, behind him, smiled. The suite was sleek and modern, with a couch-style airplane seat, TV-size screen, and even a mahogany table. Sunlight shone in through the large airplane windows. John beamed at him.

"You like it?" he asked. Alexander smiled back.

"Yes. I... I love it, John." Alexander turned around and embraced him. Laurens looked surprised, and then settled into the hug as well. He tightly embraced Alexanders warm body. Alexander released the hug. He kissed Laurens on the cheek. "Thank you." 

Laurens led Alexander over to the couch. He bit his lip and stared at it awkwardly.

"Uh, Alex, you're okay with only one couch, right?" he looked around nervously. 

"Yes. It's okay!" Alexander patted him on the back. "Does it recline?" he asked "I was planning to get a bit of rest on the way here." 

"Yeah. Don't worry. And if you want to sleep, I will be quiet." Laurens sat down in the inside of the couch, pressed a button on the side, and reclined the couch back. Alexander sat down next to him.

Laurens reached into his bag. He pulled out a large fluffy blanket, decorated with happy looking turtles. He smiled cutely as he spread the blanket out on to of him. 

"Sorry." he said "These flights can be cold. You want some blanket?" 

"Uh, no need." Alexander said. "I mean, sure. If you are okay. With like. Sharing." He looked around awkwardly. "Sure. Okay." He smiled warmly at Laurens as he laid the blanket over himself. 

"Wanna watch a movie?" Laurens asked, grabbing the remote. "They have a lot of different ones." Alexander watched Laurens flick through the catalog of movies. Overly-macho action movies, slightly cheesy rom-coms, and old fashioned flicks drifted across the screen. 

"Oooh!" said Laurens. "Lookit this!" he pointed the motion-sensitive remote to a scary-looking movie on the screen. Alexander shivered. He didn't really like horror movies. "Wanna watch it?" asked Laurens. "It's a classic. _The Shining._ I love horror movies." Laurens excitedly clicked the movie before Alexander could protest.

They were a bit through the movie, (the part where the twins come) and Alexander was clinging to John. He shook while Laurens patted him on the head. 

"Alex. It's FINE!" he smiled. Laurens poked Alexander's cheek playfully. Alexander squeezed his hand. Laurens sighed.

"Okay, okay Alex. If this is making you really scared, we can watch something else." Laurens clicked the _pause_ button and exited the player. "How about we just watch something cute or lighthearted? Like maybe a comedy?" Laurens looked at him.

"Well, I know this sounds weird because I don't like horror movies, but I like mysteries. I haven't seen _Knives Out._ Wanna watch that?" 

"Sure." Laurens grabbed the remote and flicked through the catalog and selected it. 

\---

Halfway through the movie, Laurens heard the snack cart rolling down the halls toward their suite. 

"Alex? Want anything?" Laurens turned his head to Alex, who was resting his head on his shoulder. That's when he realized Alexander was sleeping peacefully.


	17. San Francisco!

"Alex! Alex... we're starting the descent! Wake up!" 

Alexander opened his eyes to see Laurens's freckled face and curly hair. Laurens was smiling at him and shaking him awake. Alexander rubbed his eyes, and said to Laurens;

"Wait- already?" 

"yeah!" said Laurens. "Look out the window. San Francisco's cityscape is beautiful."

The first thing Alex noticed when he looked out the window was the sun. It was _so_ sunny here. Even in the Winter, the waves sparkled in the sun. Light danced across the city, hitting the tall glass buildings and ricocheting into Alexander's eyes. Laurens squeezed his hand.

"Wow." Alexander said "It's amazing." Alexander kissed his boyfriend on the cheek. "Thank you for taking me with you." They sat together for another half hour, until the plane landed. 

\--

Alexander stepped out of the airport and was immediately shocked by how _warm_ it was. At least, it was warm compared to New York. However, it was familiarly brisk. The wind blew a cold gust in his face, adding contrast to the warm air. Laurens whipped the pamphlet out of his pocket. 

"Okay. So the preliminaries are held at the Oceanheart Hotel. I got a free room, but I upgraded to a suite for both of us." Laurens said.

"How do we get there?" asked Alexander

"Well, we can rent a bike here. See?" Laurens pointed to a small shack with an old man sitting in it, and a sign saying _Bike Rentals._ Alexander nodded.

"Sounds good." Alexander and Laurens walked up to the shack and spoke to the man. 

"I'd like to rent two bikes for about a month, please." Laurens said. The man looked at him, nodded, and wrote something down in a log. 

"Alright. Bikes are in the back. Take whatever. Locks are 5 dollars if you want one with the bike." 

"Oh, yeah, two locks too please." Laurens said. He proceeded to walk to the place the bikes were stored.

\--

Dozens of bikes were lined up in the back of the shack, all in relatively good condition, though some were a bit dinged up. Alexander examined all of the bikes.

"What kind of bike you want?" Laurens asked Alexander.

"I'm not sure. Nothing special. You?" he replied. Laurens shrugged. Then his face lit up.

"Oh, let's get matching ones!" he said. Laurens led Alexander to show him two shiny and new looking bikes. They were good, old-fashioned silver bikes. They were decorated with sleek black paint, and small white stripes down the side. Laurens slid in the key the man had given him, and unlocked the two bikes. 

"Yeah. Sure, these are nice." Alexander said. He hopped onto his bike. "You ready to go?" He asked. Laurens nodded and they rode off into the sunset together.


	18. Oceanheart Hotel, San Francisco

Laurens and Alexander walked into the grandest hotel lobby Alex had ever seen. A large, sparkling crystal chandelier illuminated the hall with a golden light. A red carpet lay on the floor, all the way through the check-in hall. A marble desk sat at the end of the hall. To the side of the hall, Alexander spotted two comfy chairs. Laurens led him to the check-in desk. A woman with thin glasses looked up at him. 

"Are you here for the preliminaries?" she said, looking up at him with her glasses perched on her nose. Laurens smiled and nodded.

"Yes. John Laurens. Room 507." He handed the woman his ID as well as a card signifying his point of business here. She nodded and typed something into her computer.

"And this is?" she said, surveying Alexander. 

"My boyfriend. We're sharing a suite." Laurens braced for some sort of rude remark. The woman smiled.

"Have a good day, Mr. Laurens." she said as she handed them both a room card. They waved back at her as they walked to the elevator.

"Wow, this is a nice hotel." Alexander said. "Thanks again for letting me come along." Laurens smiled.

"You're always welcome." he said, pushing the button for the elevator and stepping in. On the second floor, the elevator stopped to let someone in. A woman in a blue blazer stepped into the elevator. She smiled, her lips turning on the right side. She brushed a bleached lock of straight hair out of her face. 

"Hey." she said. "You're..." she said, narrowing her eyes at Laurens and then checking a pamphlet from her pocket "John Laurens. From New York?" Laurens nodded. 

"Yeah. You another contestant?" he asked.

"Yep." she held her hand out, and Laurens shook it. "I'm Catherine Shen." her almond-shaped eyes, deep brown, upturned as she smiled. "I'm the head chef and manager of Catherine Cafe, in Lafayette." Laurens looked surprised.

"Lafayette?" he asked.

"yes. It's a lovely little suburban town around here. In Cali. Ya'know." She waved goodbye as the elevator dinged at the fourth floor. "Good luck, boyfriends!" She smiled and laughed. "You are a couple, right?" Alexander blushed. Catherine smirked triumphantly.

"I'm great at guessing." her high heels clunked as she walked down the hall.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> first original character in the series! kudos appreciated


	19. sorry lol

No chapter today. sorry. personal stuff

nothing tomorrow either, it's lunar new year


	20. Get a Room

Lafayette and Hercules always told them to get a room.

"You first." Alexander would always respond, rolling his eyes while untangling his hand from John's. John would blush and scratch the back of his neck. And here they are. In a hotel room together. Apparently Laurens thought they only needed one bed.

Alexander heaved Laurens's large suitcase into the closet in the suite. 

"What's in here?" he asked, panting. Laurens looked down sheepishly.

"Uhh, three coats, clothes, four pairs of shoes, and my special apron?" he laughed. "Just the usual." Alexander loved that apron. It was familiar to him after so many mornings together. Alexander would wake up to the smell of eggs, bacon, pancakes, crepes, or some other delicacy of Laurens's. He'd be wearing his curly hair tied tightly into a ponytail. His pastel pink apron would read "Kiss the Cook" with an image of a small turtle under it. It was custom. Alexander couldn't say how much he would love to follow the instructions on the apron. 

"Need any dinner?" Laurens asked. He peeked out the blinds to see it was getting dark. 

"I mean, I'm not very hungry." Alexander said. "What do you want to do?" Laurens shrugged.

"Anything but sleep. I need to beat the jet lag." 

Alexander reached for the pamphlet on the room's desk. 

"Well, this is a detailed schedule for the preliminaries..." he scanned the paper. "Tomorrow is the welcome feast. Socialize with contestants." Laurens smiled. Alex knew he loved meeting people. "Then we have a week straight of competitions. People will be thinned out to about 50 contestants by the end of the week. After that is a break, for Christmas. There's a Christmas Eve ball, too. And expect a few people to be throwing their own parties." Laurens shivered.

"Sorry. I just hope Jefferson's gone by then. He's even worse drunk." he laughed. "I mean, we all are. But he's scary."

Alexander continued. "After Christmas is another week of competitions. It will be thinned to four cafes by the end of the week. Then the following week is finals for those four. They'll all be broadcast live on TV." 

Laurens bit his lip. 

"I hope I'm either gone by then or win. I don't want to fail on live TV. Especially not while I know all my friends are watching." He said. Alexander put a hand on his shoulder.

"Hey. It's okay. I may not be allowed in the competition rooms, but I'll be with you. Like, not physically. I don't know. Spiritually?" He laughed. "Yeah. No need to worry." Alexander kissed his boyfriend. 

Neither of them remember how long they were kissing. But it must have been a long time.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> this is literally the most explicit its gonna get sorry


	21. Chapter 21

im super sorry lol, i have to take a break for today due to some scary personal issues


	22. Welcome Breakfast.

Alexander looked at his reflection in the mirror as he brushed his teeth. Back and forth, back and forth, back and forth. The toothpaste frothed in his mouth, tingling his teeth. He spit it out into the shiny sink in the hotel room. He heard a knock on the door.

"Alexander! I need to use this too! We have to get ready for the welcome breakfast!" John yelled. Alexander washed his hands, wiped them dry with a towel. He hurried out of the bathroom and put his shoes on.

"Alright, John. I'll be waiting for you outside the door!" he said as he stepped into the hallway. Crystal chandeliers lit up the hallway, illuminating the corridor with a soft glow. He tapped his feet against the carpet and hummed, until he heard the door open behind him. Laurens emerged from the door, dressed in a white button down and pants. He smiled at Alexander.

"Alright, Alex. Let's go." he said as he led him to the elevator. "Floor one, right?" he asked. Alex nodded. "Okay." he inhaled. "Boy, I hope Jefferson doesn't pull anything..." he stopped as the elevator hit the first floor. Alexander pulled the pamphlet out of his pocket.

"Okay, it's in Buffet Hall One. They have it reserved for the competition." he said. 

\---

They stepped into a crowded room full of people, maybe more than a hundred. On one end of the room was a large table, piled high with delicious food. Pastries, sweets, meats, and eggs all sat on the table, the smell wafting to Alexander's nose. He inhaled the amazing aromas of sweet and savory breakfast delicacies from all around the world. On the other side of the room, there was a stage. On it stood three people: two men and a woman. _The judges?_ Alexander thought. John grabbed Alexander's wrist and led him to an empty table. They sat down at the round table, covered with a white tablecloth. 

"Alexander, let's go get food." said Laurens. Alexander got up and walked with him to the table luxuriously spread with food. He piled his plate with the delicious foods, some of which he hadn't tried before. When he returned to the table, there were three people sitting down there. Alex and John sat down in their spots and looked awkwardly at the people. A girl with short blue hair broke the silence. 

"Hi!" she said. "My name is Nina. You're John Laurens, right? From New York?" 

"Yeah." said Laurens. "Where're you from?"

"Oh, me and Saffron are here from Florida. I'm the head chef of Florida's Finest Cafe and Bakery. Saffron here is my girlfriend. She owns Gentle Violet Bistro." Nina said. Saffron brushed a brunette curl out her face. Her golden-brown skin flushed a bit. 

"Nina... I'm your girlfriend, but I'm also your competition!" she laughed and turned to the man sitting next to them, an Asian man with one ear pierced. "Introduce yourself, Emm!" she said. The man opened his mouth.

"My name is Emmet Huang... I'm a resident of here, San Francisco. Nice to meet you guys." Emmet stopped talking when he heard the microphone start. A woman with dark brown skin and blue ombre braids stepped up to the microphone.

"Welcome, everyone, to the World Cafe Competition!"


	23. The Rules

The woman on stage cleared he throat. The microphone rang loudly as she spoke into it.

"Welcome, everyone, to the preliminaries for the World Cafe Competition!" the audience greeted her statement with applause. She smiled. "My name is Meghan Blake, I'm a judge! Let's introduce the other judges!" She shot her hand up into the sky and carried the microphone with her to a man to the right of her. "This is Jason Braswell!" She said with much enthusiasm. "And this-" she said as she walked across the stage to the man to the left of her "is Marko Braswell! Everyone give it up for our judges~!" an applause followed her enthusiastic introduction. Meghan continued to talk into the microphone.

"As you know, you are here to participate in the preliminaries and find out who will represent your country in the World Cafe Competition. It is with most regret that I inform you that, sadly, only fifty of you will be continuing the stay at Oceanheart Hotel after this week. So you better be ready to be the best of the best! Survive this!" 

Across the room, John could see Catherine cracking her knuckles. She would be tough competition. At the table across from them, Jefferson smiled cockily. But next to John, Alexander looked nervous. And in turn, that made John nervous. Had Alexander seen something that would make it harder? He appeared to be deep in thought, sitting in his chair, staring at his croissant. Jeez. Well, hopefully it was some sort of plan he was contemplating. On the stage, blonde-haired Jason Braswell stepped up to the mic. 

"Alright everyone! I know this is sort of a surprise, but we'll be doing a small quickfire challenge! The winner of this challenge will win immunity in the real challenge, and a free spa treatment here at the hotel!" He yelled. Everyone cheered. Marko snatched the microphone from his brother.

"However, there is a catch!" people gasped. "Ten contestants will enter, for a chance at immunity..." he said. Meghan leaned over and finished his sentence.

"One will emerge with immunity, four will emerge with nothing..." she paused dramatically. More gasps. "And five will emerge with a free and mandatory ticket back home!" She smiled. "Now, knowing this, who would like to enter?"

Alexander watched in horror as Laurens raised up his hand. 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> its short sorry >-<


	24. Chapter 24

this is an announcement. I'm sorry, but i think ima change to updating every other day so i have more time to work on it


	25. Quickfire

Goddammit Laurens. This was a thought that Alexander did not think often, but what his boyfriend just did was... incredibly stupid. As soon as the judges announced the quickfire, Alexander knew what was going to happen. Laurens raised his hand, quickly, without a hint of caution. Alexander's blood ran cold. _Oh my god. So stupid._ Alexander sighed. He fought the urge to start screaming.

"How could you do that? This is ruining your chances!" is what he almost said. But he had to be supportive. And a good boyfriend. Because that was him. A good boyfriend. He turned to John, who was smiling like a happy puppy. Alexander bit his tongue and smiled at him.

Meghan stepped back up the stage. She cleared her throat, and the room went silent.

"Well, I see we have ten brave contestants willing to risk it all for immunity!"

Alexander swallowed and chewed his nails. John's eyes softened and he put a hand on his shoulder. He leaned over and whispered in Alexander's ear. 

"No need to worry about me." he smiled. Alexander tried to smile, but it felt like he had something fluttering around in his stomach. He took a deep breath just as Meghan continued.

"Now, will all our quickfire-ers please step up to the stage and state your name and cafe name!" she said. 

"That's me." Laurens said as he stood up and pushed his chair in. Alexander wanted to stop him as he left. He wanted to tell him not to. But a good boyfriend wouldn't do that. So he watched as his boyfriend bounced up to the stage.

"Alllllriiiiight contestants!" Shouted Meghan. "Form a line! Right behind me! Yeah, let's goooo~!" The contestants lined up behind her. "Alright! First contestant!" she said. Behind her, Catherine stepped to the microphone.

"My name is Catherine Shen. I'm from Catherine Cafe in Lafayette, California." she nodded her head. "I'm looking forward to competing with you all." she stepped down off the stage and made room for the next person, a short man with glasses.

Alexander watched as the contestants stated their names and origins. Four females and six males. Thomas Jefferson smiled cockily as he stated his name and cafe, along with like twenty unneeded facts. A woman in a yellow cardigan looked at the floor as she stuttered out her name, (Eleanore Leleu) and shuffled off the stage like a timid mouse. A tall black man with a deep voice introduced himself to everyone. A few women (and men) in the crowd squealed. And finally, John Laurens stepped to the mic. 

"My name is John Laurens!" he said confidently. Alexander's heart beat. Please don't mess up. "Of Café Révolutionnaire." he raised his hand in the air. "Good luck! You're going to need it, everyone!" 

Alex face palmed. Oh my god. The crowd screamed. _My boyfriend just did that. Get our tickets home. Time to go. We aren't even surviving this round._ But the crowd wasn't throwing food. They weren't booing. They were cheering. 


	26. Quickfire- Part II

Meghan rolled up her long sleeves and grabbed the microphone with vigor, like some kind of anime character. Behind Alexander, some men from the kitchen brought out small burner stoves and pots and set them on the tables in the back. They went to another table and laid down a variety of cooking supplies, such as knives, ladles, and other things. On another table, a series of people laid down a spread of confectionery ingredients. Sugar, milk, and chocolate, a variety of flavor extracts, vanilla, raspberry, and even black licorice. Meghan started speaking.

"Alright. Now that we have met our lovely and brave-" she raised an eyebrow "or stupid, I suppose..." she put a hand to her chin. "Well, contestants, one way or another. Now that we've met them, time to explain the quickfire." she pointed her finger at Jason. Alexander could swear he saw action lines around her hand. It was dramatic. "Jason! Explain the quickfire!" Jason laughed.

"The quickfire will be based off of a very underrated thing when it comes to cafes: drinks. Now, we're only going to be competing with one specific drink. Hot Chocolate." he pointed to the tables in the back. "You are to cook the best, and most innovative hot chocolate you can in under ten minutes. People who do not have their prepared by ten will be sent home. Use the ingredients and supplies provided on the tabled behind you. They will be judged by the normal panel. In other words, me, Marko, and Meghan." 

Laurens gulped. He had seen Catherine raise her hand. Jefferson had smiled like he knew something he didn't, before raising his hand cockily. Laurens would have some competition. He watched as Catherine doffed her blue blazer and pull a blue scrunchie out of her pocket. She pulled her long, flowing hair into a messy ponytail. Across the room, Jefferson did the same. He only did that when he was serious. Apparently, the dude thought that giant poofball he called hair was _fashionable._ And the dude did not diss his _fashion._ Laurens bit his lip as Jason began counting down.

"Ten. Nine." Alexander squeezed his hand.

"Eight. Seven. Six." Jefferson flashed a mocking smile in their direction.

"Five. Four. Three." Catherine cracked her neck. 

"Two." Laurens inhaled and exhaled.

"One." Laurens sprang from his seat and towards the tables in the back, as fast as his legs would take him. He zoomed to the back, before everyone else excluding Catherine. She must work out. 

Laurens studied the ingredients on the table. He'd grab the basic stuff first, then he'd find creative add-ons. He could use cocoa powder, but he'd prefer to chop up some chocolate. He grabbed a bar of fine Belgium chocolate from the table. Next, he needed sugar. He was going to use the normal kind. Did they have organic? He scoured the table. _Dammit._ No organic. And Jefferson and Catherine were already heating up the milk. Laurens looked over the several brands and types of milk. Heavier milk for a creamier flavor... He'd go with full percent fat, homogenized. He measured the milk into a pot and put it on the heat. Anxiously, he checked the timer. He had 8 minutes left. It would take about four to heat up the milk, so Laurens started working on the mixture. He carefully mixed together sugar and chopped chocolate. Now, what could he add to make it more interesting? His eyes swept across the table. Wait... freeze dried fruit? How would that work... 

Laurens has a theory. He had to test it out. And so he ladled a tiny amount of the milk into a mug and put a freeze dries strawberry in it. It instantly filled up with moisture, leaving a soggy, slightly syrupy berry. Hmm. Tasty. Laurens grabbed a bag of powdered sugar and dusted the strawberry in it, then dumped it back into the milk. Perfection. He could add these in, to float around, adding both texture and a delicate fruity flavor. His pocket timer rang, and he measured the chocolate and sugar mixture into the piping hot milk. He looked at the timer. Four minutes. It would take about two for the chocolate to melt in, so he had to be hasty. He anxiously fiddled with the heat, bringing the milk to a boil. As the chocolate melted in, he stirred with a spatula. Two minutes. He glanced to Jefferson, who was adding some sort of caramel sauce to his chocolate. Across the room, Catherine dusted a mix of meringue powder and gold dust on top of her whipped cream. He'd had no time to make something to put on top. He'd have to settle for something boring, but he had to make it look good. Just as he finished sprinkling a sugar heart onto the chocolate, the bell rang. 


	27. Who's Going Home?

Laurens was sweating. Jefferson was smirking. Catherine was cool as ice. And once again, Meghan was yelling into the microphone. She seemed excited. Laurens didn't know if she liked being able to tear people apart and have the power to send them home or something, but she was happy. She bounced on her heels as her braids bounced. 

"All contestants please bring their hot chocolate to the judges stage for judging!" she said. Laurens inhaled and picked up the three mugs of cocoa he made, one for each judge. She motioned for everyone to come up to the stage. Catherine confidently strutted up the stairs. The other contestants followed.

John never knew how anxious he was until today. As he climbed the stairs with shaky legs, his vision blurring, his heart beat like he was running a marathon. He walked up to the judges table and set the mugs down on the judges table.

"Thank you." said Meghan. "We will now commence the judging." Meghan took a sip of Catherine's cocoa, the Jeffersons', Laurens's, and everyone else's. The other judges followed suit. 

Alexander held his breath. He could see Laurens staring at the ground awkwardly while massaging his hands. He must be nervous. Alexander stared into his boyfriend's scared looking eyes. He tried to send him a message with his own. _It's okay. Don't worry._ He smiled. _You'll be fine._ It was then that Meghan started talking again.

"Now that we have sampled each of the hot chocolates, we will be telling you the results! Get in line!" She said. She looked at the line and went to the first person, Catherine. "Catherine Shen!" she said. "Your chocolate was rich and amazing. The gold powder was a beautiful touch! It was a good choice to mix full cream with two-percent milk to create a creamy, yet not thick cocoa. I am pleased to grant you immunity." Catherine smiled, as if to say _"of course"._ Meghan patted her on the back. "Good job, girl." 

Laurens was at the end of the line. He watched, scared, as she told the contestants their fate. Short, shy Eleanore Leleu fought back the urge to cry as she heard her fate, and walked off stage, looking at her feet. The tall man, who's name was Jaden, exhaled as he learned he was safe. Jefferson smirked at the praise of his chocolate, but was clearly a little mad Catherine had taken the grandest prize. She winked at him and smirked. He looked like he wanted to wring her neck. Meghan sauntered up to John. He held his breath. 

"John Laurens!" she said. "Your cocoa was delicious. The strawberries were a nice and creative touch. However.." Laurens nearly screamed. "The hot chocolate was slightly lukewarm. I trust this is not how you usually prepare cocoa?" she raised a perfect eyebrow. 

"N-no!" Laurens stuttered. "It's not! I swear!" Meghan laughed.

"Chill. You're safe, John Laurens."

Alexander finally exhaled


	28. lmao im so sorry

okay guys... I'm sorry for not updating. I'll start again this sunday, but i kinda need a break rn


	29. Poor Emmet

Alexander threw his arms around his boyfriend as soon as he went back to their table. 

"John! What were you thinking? You could've been sent home..." he whispered. John smiled wryly.

"Hey... Alex. It's me. You couldn't have thought I _wouldn't,_ could you?" He had a point. Laurens did sometimes do that sort of thing. But Alexander was just glad that it was over and that they were still in the competition. They locked eyes, and Alex couldn't help but stare into them for a few seconds. In fact, he might have longer if it weren't for a shriek from the other room. Nina ran up to them at full speed, Saffron in tow, smiling awkwardly as her girlfriend grabbed them all into a group hug. 

"Yay! You did it!" she said. "I mean... I know I shouldn't be, like, encouraging competition or whatever, but like you guys are cool. If Saffy or I don't win, you'd better!" Saffron blushed at the rather childish pet name Nina chose to call her. Nina continued rambling.

"Saffron's the cutest here, obviously, but you'd be close exceptions. Jaden and Catherine are cute too. Emmie tries to be edgy, but he has a baby face. That Jefferson guy is smokin', but he seems like a dick. Shame, really. I've been thinking about starting a club and I was gonna invite everyone who's pretty here and-" Nina was cut off by Saffron.

"Nina. Please be quiet." Saffron was clearly used to dealing with her, but was worried others would find her annoying. Nina sighed.

"Oh yeah. I was here to announce something." she paused. "Actually-" she jumped on top of the table quickly, and started shouting. "Everyone! Party in Emmet's apartment tonight to celebrate Laurens's win!" The room cheered, excited about the idea. Emmet looked like this was the first he'd heard of it. 

"but-" he said. Nina cut him off.

"Emmet! Don't be a killjoy! You have a nice apartment and live around here. It only makes _sense._ " Emmet sighed in consent. 

"Okay..." he said. Nina patted him on the back in reassurance. 

"It's all good, Emm. We'll help you set up." She turned to Laurens and Hamilton. "'It's your party. You better show up."


	30. update

Ok guys. I know it seems like I'm lazy, but i want the chapters to be better. I am going to start posting just twice a week. it would be wednesday and saturday


	31. Chapter 31

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> idk what to title this sorry dude

"Aleeeexxxxxx!! You done in there yet?" Laurens yelled from the bedroom while Alex pulled on a black tank-top Laurens told him to wear. He sighed.

"Almost!" he pulled on a gray coat, lined with fluffy fur in the hood, on over his top. He wore a pair of jeans as well. He took a deep breath as he sized himself up in the bathroom mirror. He quickly blushed. He looked like a frikkin e-boy. But, this was what John thought would look good on him, so he walked out of the bathroom to meet his boyfriend's adoring eyes.

"Ohmygosh, you look so cute, do we match? I hope we match. Do we both look good? Do you look better. Of course you do. I love you." He finished that long run-on with a peck to Alexander's cheek. John himself was wearing a large lavender ribbed sweater, with leggings underneath. He pulled his hair back into a ponytail behind his head, slightly taming the frizz that was his hair. He grabbed Alexander's hand.

"Let's go!"

\------

John and Alexander ordered a taxi and took it down to an apartment building near the hotel. They stepped into a cute courtyard garden, with a fountain and a bed of roses. A little old Asian woman in a hat was watering the flowers, humming a tune to herself. 

"What room is it again?" Alexander asked.

"It's 607." answered John, stepping into the elevator. He pushed the button reading "600-630", and the elevator made a whirring noise before going up three floors. The elevator dinged when they made it up, and they stepped out into the hallway. Doors, spaced perfectly apart on large distances, signaling the existence of large apartments. A big window sat in the end of the hall, exposing them to the setting sun. The sun, exposed by the window, illuminated the hallway with a soft, warm light. 

"601... 603... 605..." Alexander trailed off, looking at the plaques next to each door. "607. Here it is." John jogged to catch up with him, and knocked on the door. Emmet answered, eyebags under his eyes, with Nina and Saffron behind him. Emmet did not look amused, in fact, his face was covered in glitter and his white suit was stained with what looked like beer. Nina held a can of beer in her hand, eyeing Emmet's stain sheepishly. Saffron, behind them, held a large party-size bottle of Coke and a bag of chips. John could see what looked like a phone taped to the ceiling with some sort of disco ball app on it. Laurens laughed. Everyone looked at him.

"So uh... budget party, eh?" Laurens scratched the back of his head. Maybe not a good thing to say. Then everyone burst out laughing.

"Yeah. You're here about twenty minutes early, but come in. Emmet's working on setting up the speaker right now." Nina said. She bounced off into the living room, Saffron in tow, and started pushing furniture to the sides of the room to make room for dancing. Emmet followed, taking out his phone and feebly clicking at some stuff, trying to connect to the bluetooth speaker he didn't know wasn't even on. Laurens went over to help him, and Alexander was stuck in the front area, pacing around. 


	32. Chapter 32

The first knock on the door came about half an hour later. Alexander rushed to answer it. He opened the door to see Jaden standing in front of the door, holding a bag of chips.

"Hey, Alexander. Congrats to you and John. You guys'll be some tough competition." he slapped a hand onto Alexader's shoulder. "Good luck." he walked past him into the apartment. "But for now, let's just have fun." Alex followed him into the living room, where Saffron was fiddling with the radio in the corner. The disco lights seemed to be working, and the sun had just went down. It was starting to feel like a real party. Guests trickled in slowly as the night went on. The moon was rising in the sky, providing a nice scene out the window in addition to the bright stroke lights inside. Nina, her cheeks brightly flushed, was chatting with Jaden. Emmet sat on the couch in the corner, looking very clearly worn out. Laurens was standing on the sidelines, holding a can of beer. He looked like he had finished at least three cans, but wasn't flushed at all. Alexander looked self-consciously down at his own half-drained drink, and walked over to him.

"John! What're ya doing just hanging out on the sidelines?" he slapped his boyfriend on the back "Go do something!"

"Haha, no... Everyone's dancing or playing beer pong or something..." John looked at his feet "I can't really party."

"This party is dedicated to us! Let's at least dance a bit!" Alexander grabbed John's hand, and he could feel his boyfriend relax a bit, and stepped into the middle, where the speakers were blaring to some trashy pop song. Laurens started shifting from foot to foot, dancing like an awkward person. Alex laughed. Laurens blushed.

"Wazzofunny?" he said, pouting a cheek. Alexander pinched it.

"Nothin'. You're so cute." Alex smooched his boyfriend. Laurens blushed, and took Alex's waist and pulled him into him, kissing him on the lips. Alexander could feel the warmth of his body on his, and embraced him tightly while the disco lights illuminated them in bright strobe lighting. Laurens pulled him even closer in, so close they were practically smooshed against each other. Nina called out to them from the other side of the room. 

"Hey! Quit snoggin' and get over here! We're gonna play Never Have I Ever!" She said, laughing. They quickly peeled apart, and that left Laurens staring at his own feet. 

"Sorry." he said "We're coming." They walked across the room, to a small group of people sitting in a circle. Nina, Saffron, Jaden, and a few other people. Catherine was talking to Emmet in the corner, and a few people were dancing. Nina raised her hand.

"Order! I call order! Is everyone readyyyy???!!!!" She smiled a gigantic smile, and everyone in the circle nodded. "The let it commence! First question!" She cleared her throat and drew a card from a stack. "Never have I ever... kissed someone of the same gender." 

Alexander and Laurens both raised their hands, as did Saffron and Nina herself. They all downed a shot, Laurens gulping his while Saffron took three sips to empty the tiny glass. Nina laughed, her face flushed. She was clearly a lightweight.

\---


	33. Chapter 33

Alexander was tipsy, but John was completely sober when Thomas walked in. 

\------

The doorbell rang, a little past ten, and Nina got up to answer it. A man walked in, wearing a flashy magenta coat. A familiar smirk crept up the man's face as he saw Alexander, sitting drunk on the floor. 

"What'd I miss?" he said. "Sorry I had to come late..." he shouldered past Nina and to the center of the room. "But I just can't miss a good party."

\------

Alexander felt sick to his stomach. He was drunk, sprawled out on the floor, and had a very nice view of Jefferson looming over him. He couldn't just have an enjoyable party, could he. 

"Oh my. Look what the cat dragged in." Jefferson's eyes swept from Laurens to Hamilton, and back to Laurens. "You better be grateful your boyfriend decided to pay for you to come with him on this little excursion, because it's not like you would have enough funds to pay for yourself." he scoffed. "In fact, I'd go as far as to say you'd be dead without his financial assistance." Alexander clenched his fist. Jefferson continued. "Or at least not be wearing that $2,000 tacky e-boy ensemble." 

Laurens bit his lip. He held Alex's hand, trying to calm him down. Then, Jefferson continued.

"It's not like you have good taste in men, Alexander, but at least you aren't on the streets." 

Alexander broke free of his boyfriends grip and lunged at Thomas. Thomas's eyes widened and he tried to dodge Alexander's punch to the face. Thomas raised a leg and swiftly kicked Alexander, planting his boot in his stomach. Alex doubled over, and Laurens rushed over to help him.

"Hey, you okay?" he asked. John brushed a lock of hair out of his face. He looked in his eyes, with concern. Jefferson laughed as he exited the room slowly.

"Damn..."


	34. ON HIATUS FOR MOST LIKELY EVER LOL

so uhh this fic was stupid and It's on hiatus forever now- I'm thinking about "remastering" it into something a little less cringey, with the same core concept. thanks for reading!


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